JACKSONVILLE – Senior Paschal Petrongolo turned in a 2-for-3 day at the plate, including the-go-ahead three-run home run to complete the weekend sweep of Western Kentucky with a 9-7 Sunday victory at Rudy Abbott Field.

After a pair of walk off wins on Friday and Sunday, the Gamecocks erased a  7-5 deficit with a four-run sixth and shut down the Hilltoppers over the final three frames to complete the sweep and move to 6-4 on the season.  JSU will close out the five-game homestand on Wednesday with an in-state battle with Troy.  First pitch is set for 6 p.m. at Rudy Abbott Field.  WKU, who entered the weekend at 7-1 and winners of its last six games, fell to 7-4 overall.

Sunday's series finale was a mirror image of the Friday and Saturday games as any lead by either team was not safe.  The Gamecocks plated a pair of runs in their first at bat on a two-out double by senior Elliott McCummings to plate Petrongolo and Tyler Gameble, who reached by back-to-back two-out walks.

WKU answered with runs in the second and third to take a 4-2 lead heading into the home half of the third.   Paul Murray's double just inside the third base bag highlighted the second inning, while Danny Hudzina and Murray drove in both runs in the third frame.

JSU trimmed the deficit to 4-3 in the third with an unearned run.  Senior Gavin Golsan scored on infield throwing error by WKU off the bat of Clayton Daniel.  Golsan started the frame with his first of two doubles in the contest.

The Gamecocks took their second lead of the afternoon in the fifth.  Freshman catcher Nicholas Gaddis led off the inning with a walk and moved to third on Golsan's double to left field.  Daniel delivered a sacrifice fly to right field, equalizing the game at 4-all.  Petrongolo tallied his first of four RBI on the day with an infield single, scoring Golsan and giving Jax State a 5-4 lead.

That lead did not last long either as the Hilltoppers would strike for three runs in the sixth on three hits and a Gamecock miscue.   Zach Janes, Thomas Peter and Kaleb Duckworth posted run-scoring at bats off of JSU reliever Derrick Adams.

JSU's big inning all started after one out in the inning.  Junior Josh Bobo kick-started the four-run sixth with a single to left, followed by Gaddis' hit-by-pitch.  Golsan pushed Bobo to third on a fly ball to right for the second out before Daniel collected his second RBI of the day with a base hit to left field, which chased WKU's Sam Higgs (1-1).

Petrongolo was the first batter WKU's John Harman faced and the Blackwood, New Jersey designated hitter greeted him with a three-run blast over the scoreboard in right center at Rudy Abbott Field.  It was Petrongolo's second home run off of Hilltopper pitching this weekend and he finished the weekend 5-for-10 and six RBI.  He reached base nine times throughout the weekend with four walks.  Petrongolo also scored four runs in the weekend series. 

JSU's Grant Chandler shut down WKU in the seventh to set up a six-out save for redshirt sophomore Justin Hoyt.  Adams was credited with his first collegiate win after pitching the sixth.

Wednesday's contest with Troy will be available on the Gamecock Sports Network.  Admission is free to all JSU students and fans 18 and under.